How to Find the Best Divorce Lawyer for Your Family Law Situation

Aug 30, 2010
Victoria Nicks

The Best Divorce Lawyers Do Great Research - Stock Xchng Image by plex

Learn how to find the best divorce lawyer for you and hire an attorney who has experience with issues in your situation, like inter-state disputes or abuse.

Every family deals with different and unique issues when going through a divorce, so it is important to hire an attorney who thoroughly understands the issues at hand. An amicable divorce, with uncontested divisions of property and debt and custody agreements will require a very different style of lawyer than a hotly contested custody battle or a fight over marital assets.

Learn how to find the best divorce lawyer for your family law situation by evaluating your own needs, researching local family law attorneys and asking the American Bar Association for a recommendation.

Who is the Best Divorce Attorney for You?

To figure out who is the best divorce attorney for your situation, you'll need to do some legwork. Ask friends for referrals, read online ratings, and call the American Bar Association for a recommendation. Add up all of the facts that you find, and make a decision based on facts. Qualities to look for in a lawyer include:

Legal Specialty – Many divorce attorneys also practice other aspects of family law, and even work as bankruptcy lawyers or criminal defense lawyers as well. If you have a difficult case, consider searching for an attorney whose primary specialty is divorce, or at least family law.

Experience with Unusual Circumstances – If you have unusual or difficult aspects to your case, such as allegations of abuse, inter-state disputes or hidden assets, or if you are trying to prove fault, you should choose a lawyer who specializes in family law, and has experience with cases involving the difficult areas of your case. The attorney you choose should have not only worked on cases that are similar to yours, but should have achieved positive results in the majority of the cases.

Litigation Experience – A lawyer that is fresh out of law school is a great choice for a simple divorce action, however, choosing someone with experience in the courtroom is best when you are going to end up in court over disputes.

Disciplinary Action – Has the lawyer that you want to hire been faced with disciplinary action? Look up your local State Bar association and call to find out.

Find a Lawyer Who is Right for You

Every lawyer has a unique set of skills, but all divorce attorneys are not fully qualified for every situation. Do some homework before you hire your lawyer, to make sure that you have chosen the right person for the job.